The invention relates to record player comprising a deck plate, which carries a turntable and a pick-up arm, and a lifting device which can be moved upwards and downwards to lift and lower the pick-up arm relative to the upper side of the turntable. The lifting device comprises an arm support and a lift rod which forms an integral unit with said support and is guided by a guide element connected to the deck plate. The lift rod is engaged by an actuating member for moving the lifting device upwards and downwards, and by damping means which comprise a highly viscous substance for damping at least the downward movement of the lifting device.
Such a record player is known from Patents Abstracts of Japan, Volume 5, nol. 115 (p.72) (787) July 24, 1981 and JP-A-No. 5654601. This known record player has a damped-action lifting device in order to ensure that a stylus carried by the pick-up arm is lowered gently onto a record on the turntable. In the known record players the lifting device comprises a comparatively large number of parts. These parts include a separate guide sleeve mounted in the deck plate, which sleeve ensures that the vertical movements of the lift rod are performed accurately; and damping means which are arranged underneath the deck plate, which utilizes a hydraulically damped lever. The lever is separately connected to the deck plate and cooperates with a separate actuating rod on the lifting device. Thus, the known record players have intricate, comparatively bulky and relatively expensive lifting devices. These devices add substantially to the overall price of the record player.